re-examination

The word 're-examination' is a modern English compound formed by directly combining the productive prefix 're-' with the existing noun 'examination.' The prefix 're-,' from Latin, has been a prolific element in English since Middle English, consistently conveying the sense of repetition or return. The core noun 'examination' entered English in the late 14th century from Old French, tracing back to the Latin 'examinare,' which literally meant to weigh or balance, derived from 'examen' (the tongue of a balance). Thus, the logical construction of 're-examination' is transparent: it literally means "a weighing again" or "a testing again," which evolved into its modern abstract meaning of a subsequent or repeated scrutiny, assessment, or official review.

Structure: re (again) + examination (scrutiny) re: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "again" or "back." examination: Derived from Latin 'examinare' (to weigh, test, consider), via Old French. In this compound, it functions as the core noun meaning the act of scrutinizing or testing.